Etched in Bone was launched at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra on 4 October 2018.
Six people from Arnhem Land who feature in the film or were closely associated with it came down to Canberra: Victor Gumurrdul, Isaiah Nagurrgurrba, Connie Nayinggul et Donna Nadjamerrek from Gunbalanya and Pamela Gambarr and Farrah Gumbula from Galiwin’ku.
To protect the spectators watching the film, Victor Gumurrdul from Gunbalanya performed a smoking ceremony. Before entering the cinema, everybody walked through the smoke and got protection. We could smell the smoke throughout the screening.
Ngunnawal Traditional Owner Uncle Wally Bell gave a moving and powerful speech, welcoming us all to the land of his ancestors.
Jan Müller, CEO of the National Film and Sound Archive, opened the Launch.
Close to 200 people attended – colleagues, government and institution representatives, friends and long-time supporters of the project.
Cover picture:
Visitors from Arnhem Land join the filmmakers and other creatives on stage. Left to right: Tim Duck, Victor Gumurrdul, James Lane, Donna Nadjamerrek, Farrah Gumbula, Pamela Ganambarr, Connie Nayinggul, Béatrice Bijon, Martin Thomas and Isaiah Nagurrgurrba. Photograph: Sean Davey